Apparatus for introducing medicinal substances in the form of a polarized flux into the system by the alveolar route



March 24, 1970 Y. JOSEPH 3,502,077

APPARATUS FOR INTRODUCING MEDICINAL SUBSTANCES IN THE FORM OF A POLARIZEDFLUX INTO THE SYSTEM BY THE;ALVEOLAR ROUTE Filed July 7. 1967 III/2541111111 'IIIII/I/III/ l/IIIIIIA INVENTOK:

Yvzs J OSEPH United States Patent 3,502,077 APPARATUS FOR INTRODUCING MEDICINAL SUBSTANCES IN THE FORM OF A POLARIZED FLUX INTO THE SYSTEM BY THE ALVEOLAR ROUTE Yves Joseph, 29 Rue Claude Lorrain, Paris 16, France Filed July 7, 1967, Ser. No. 651,821 Claims priority, application 7France, July 11, 1966,

Int. Cl. A61n 1 31/00, /00

US. Cl. 128-1721 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for introducing medicinal substances as a polarized flux, atomized in aerosol form, together with oxygen into alveolar respiratory passages includes a pulsating voltage generator which applies an increasing potential to the path of the medicine into the body and supplies a connection to the body skin so that the medicine is polarized during passage into the body.

plication of a novel method of introduction of the medica- 3 ments utilised especially in ailments characterised by these deficiencies (cardio-vascular, neurological, pulmonary, asthenia, allergies, senescence, malnutrition, etc.).

As regards potassium for example, its introduction into the system is generally effected by oral methods or by intravenous perfusion. In practice these two techniques give rise to the use of a quite strong concentration, if it is desired that a small part be assimilated by the system. The latency time prior to the fixation of the potassium is moreover quite long, namely at least six hours when one works by the oral method.

Now it is already known from experimental tests that interstitial media are electro-positive, the living cell possessing a positive envelope. The present invention makes use of this feature by making the patient breathe a negatively charged, molecular flux, highly dispersed by atomisation, after the patient has been positively polarised, so that the electric circuit is closed and the living cell is obliged to accept the product, a true intra-tissue penetration being obtained.

To this end the apparatus according to the invention comprises: an aerosol-producing atomiser intended to receive the medicinal substance to be polarised and into which there is dipped an electrode connected to the negative pole of a pulsating voltage generator, the said atomiser being connected on the one hand to a compressed-air source and on the other to an inhaling mask by a reinforced insulating pipe which is equipped at various points with metallic accelerator rings connected respectively to tappings of a voltage divider placed on the output terminals of the pulsating voltage generator, so as to be at increasing potentials from the atomiser to the inhaling mask, the apparatus further comprising an electrode connected to the positive output pole of the pulsating voltage generator and intended to be placed in contact with the skin of the patient, also an oxygen inlet at the outlet of the atomiser.

It is easily understood that such an apparatus, after having positively polarised the patient, permits him to inhale simultaneously a negatively charged molecular flux which is highly dispersed by atomisation.

The invention also has for object forms of embodiment comprising one or more of the following characteristics:

(a) At least one additional atomiser is connected in parallel with the first atomiser, the connection of the atomisers to the compressed air source being effected through the intermediary of a multi-way selector cock.

(b) A disinfection device connected to the mask can be branched on the oxygen source according to choice.

(c) The pulsating voltage generator has a low frequency.

(d) The frequency and/or the amplitude of the pulsating voltage generator are regulable.

(e) The metallic accelerator rings are of rhodiumplated brass.

The invention will be further explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of non-limitative example a form of embodiment of a apparatus in accordance with the invention, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 represents the whole of the apparatus in diagrammatic form and FIGURE 2 shows a part of the connection pipe between the atomiser and the respiratory mask, on a larger scale and in section.

In the drawings, the apparatus as represented in FIG- UR'E l is intended to permit the introduction into the system, by respiratory paths, of polarised medicinal substances in highly dispersed molecular form, concurrently with oxygen. This apparatus is essentially constituted by an aerosol-producing atomiser 1 intended to receive the medicinal substance, a respiratory mask 2 connected to the outlet of the atomiser 1 by a pipe 3 of special construction which will be further described hereinafter, a source of compressed air for example in the form of an air compressor 4 connected to the entry of the atomiser 1 by a pipe 5, an oxygen source constituted in the present example by a cylinder 7 equipped with a manometer expansion valve 8 combined with a delivery indicator per mitting of its adaptation to each individual, the said cylin' der being connected by a pipe 11 to the outlet of the atomiser 1, a pulsating voltage generator designated as a whole by 12 and an electrode 13 intended to be placed upon the skin of the patient. In the form of embodiment as repersented, the apparatus further comprises an additional atomiser 16 and a disinfection device 17.

The pulsating voltage generator 12 comprises a transformer 21 the primary winding of which is intended to be connected to an alternating current source, for example of 220 volts, 50 Hz. The magnetic circuit of this transformer is earthed on the apparatus, while its secondary winding is equipped with a two-pole switch 23 on the output of which a tell-tale lamp 24 is branched in parallel, indicating whether the apparatus is in operation or not, one of the output conductors 25 of the generator being equipped with a recifier cell 26, for example a selenium cell. The two output conductors 25, 27 are branched on the ends of the voltage divider designated as a whole by 28, the various tappings of which are connected respectively to rings 31 (see FIGURE 2) which are of metal, preferably of rhodium plated brass.

These rings are disposed at different points in the pipe 3 which is constituted by an internal pipe 33 of plastic material covered with a metallic net, for example of galvanised pure copper 34, earthed on the apparatus and in turn covered with a protective sheath for example of polyvinyl.

The conductor 27 which constitutes the negative output pole of the pulsating voltage generator is connected by a changeover switch 37 according to choice to one or the other of two electrodes 38, 39, for example of platinum, which dip into the medicinal liquids placed in the two atomisers 1 and 16. The contact electrode 13 is connected to the positive output conductor of the generator. The transformer 21 thus acts as insulating transformer and in the example the secondary side supplies a voltage of approximately 100 volts, the voltage divider comprising five elements at the terminals of each of which there is a voltage of 20 volts, so that the potentials of the successive accelerator rings disposed in the pipe 3, as from the atomiser 1, are respectively at potentials of the order of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 volts (+E '+E etc., their number varying with the length of the tube).

These accelerator rings permit of giving the flux a sufiicient potential to ensure intra-cellular penetration of the medicament molecules.

A changeover cock 41 is represented, which permits of supplying compressed air to the atomiser 1 or the atomiser 16 according to choice.

The disinfection device 17 is connected to the oxygen cylinder 7 through the intermediary of a cook 43, and the pipe 11 for the supply of treatment oxygen to the mask, through the intermediary of another cock 44, in such manner that at will it is possible to conduct oxygen into the treatment pipe 3 or into the disinfection device 17 connected to the respiratory mask 2, by a pipe 46.

The pulsating voltage generator can be at low frequency or preferably can have regulable frequency and amplitude.

In a preferred form of embodiment the various elements of the apparatus are enclosed in a casing, preferably equipped with casters, upon which certain control devices can be fitted, such as manometers, spirometer, etc. (not shown).

In utilisation, the patients head is engaged in the inhaling mask 2 and the electrode 13 is placed upon the patients skin.

Into the atomiser 1 there is introduced a substance such for example as a solution of potassium, and into the additional atomiser 16 another substance such for example as a solution af amino-acids. When the compressor 4 and the generator 12 are connected to the electric current source, the oxygen cylinder 7 is set in action by opening the cock 44, then the cock 41 in the position to supply the atomiser 1.

Then a polarised micro-mist and oxygen arrive in the mask 2, which the patient inhales. After a certain time the cock 41 is opened if necessary to the position to supply the additional atomiser 16, the admission of air to the first atomiser 1 thus being closed. The substance contained in the additional atomiser 16 will thus be directed in turn, with oxygen, to the inhaling mask 2.

In order to disinfect the inhaling mask 2, the cock 44 is closed and the cock 43 is opened so as to permit oxygen to penetrate into the disinfection device 17, which is preferably an atomiser device which transforms a disinfectant into a micro-mist directed by the tube 46 into the inhaling mask 2.

The invention is not of course limited to the form of embodiment as described and represented, which has been given by way of example; numerous modifications can be made therein according to the envisaged applications, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention. Thus for example in place of a cylinder it would be possible to utilise any other suitable desired source of oxygen. It is also possible to provide a device for the elimination of the carbon dioxide from the mask, for example in cases where the mask is in closed circuit.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the introduction of medicinal substances in highly dispersed molecular form, concurrently with oxygen, into the system by the respiratory paths, the said apparatus comprising: an aerosol producing atomiser intended to receive the medicinal substance and into which there dips an electrode connected to the negative pole of a pulsating voltage generator, the said atomiser being connected on the one hand to a compressed air source and on the other to an inhaling mask by a reinforced insulating pipe equipped at various points with metallic accelerator rings connected respectively to tappings of a voltage divider placed at the output terminals of the pulsating voltage generator, so as to be at increasing potentials from the atomiser to the inhaling mask, the apparatus further comprising an electrode connected to the positive output pole of the pulsating voltage generator and intended to be placed in contact with the skin of the patient, also an oxygen inlet to the outlet of the atomiser.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one additional atomiser is branched in parallel on the first atomiser, the connection of said atomisers to said compressed air source being effected through an intermediary of a multiway selector cock.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a disinfection device connected to the mask can be branched selectively on the oxygen source.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pulsating voltage generator has a low frequency.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim -1 wherein at least one of the group consisting of the frequency and the amplitude of said pulsating voltage generator is adjustable.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metallic accelerator rings are of rhodium plated brass.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one atomiser is branched in parallel on the first atomiser, the connection of the atomisers to the compressed air source being effected through the intermediary of a multiway selector cock, and a disinfection device connected to the mask can be branched selectively on the oxygen source, and the pulsating voltage generator has a low frequency and at least one of the group consisting of the frequency and the amplitude is adjustable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,194,236 7/1965 Welmer 128172.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,375,946 1964 France.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner PAUL E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 124-186 

